Method of treating substances in an ambient environment with a cryogenic material

ABSTRACT

A method of treating substances in an ambient environment with a cryogenic material is disclosed comprising a barrel having a plunger mechanism movably mounted therein and having a valve on the lower end thereof. The valve normally closes the lower end of the barrel but the plunger may be moved relative to the barrel to permit cryogenic liquid such as liquid nitrogen to by-pass the valve and to move upwardly into the interior of the barrel. The valve has a tip portion at the lower end thereof. The barrel is removably positioned in a guard so that the tip portion extends outwardly through the bottom of the guard and so that the upper end of the plunger is exposed above the guard. The tip portion has a lower end portion which is extremely thin so that the cryogenic liquid will be positioned closely adjacent the skin but not in actual contact therewith when the tip portion is placed into contact with the patient&#39;s skin. The method of charging the device is disclosed as is the method of using the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a device which may be used with liquidnitrogen or the like for freezing areas on the skin such as warts, etc.

Liquid nitrogen or other cryogenic liquids are frequently used in thetreatment of or in removing warts or the like from a person's skin. Onemethod of removing a wart or the like is to immerse a wick-like devicein liquid nitrogen having a temperature of approximately -335°Fahrenheit. The wick is then placed in contact with the wart or the liketo "burn" by freezing the wart. The problem exists in such a method inthat the liquid nitrogen quickly vaporizes which permits the wick toonly treat the area for approximately one or two seconds prior to theliquid nitrogen vaporizing.

Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide animproved cryogenic probe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cryogenic probe whichmay be used to freeze areas of the skin wherein the liquid nitrogen orthe like is positioned closely adjacent the skin but not in actualcontact therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cryogenic probe whichpermits areas of the skin to be treated for approximately one minute.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cryogenic probewherein areas of the skin may be treated and wherein the heat of theskin permits the utilization of the heat of evaporation of the liquidnitrogen.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of charging acryogenic probe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of treatingareas of the skin employing a cryogenic probe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cryogenic probe whichis economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements andcombination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objectscontemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the cryogenic probe of this invention:

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view seen on lines 2--2 of FIG. 1:

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 except that the inner portion of theprobe has been removed from the outer portion thereof:

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the inner member of the probe beinginserted in a cryogenic liquid container:

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view seen on lines 5--5 of FIG. 4:

FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the probeillustrating the tip thereof being in contact with the skin of apatient:

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view seen lines 7--7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the valve tip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The cryogenic probe of this invention is referred to generally by thereference numeral 10 while the reference numeral 12 refers to a supportadapted to support the probe 10. The numeral 14 refers generally to avacuum bottle container or the like adapted to contain a cryogenicliquid 16 such as nitrogen. Probe 10 generally comprises an outer guard18, barrel 20 and plunger 22.

For purposes of description, guard 18 will be described as having anupper end 24, lower end 26 and an interior compartment 28. As seen inthe drawings, guard 18 is provided with a tapered portion 30 at itslower end which is adapted to engage the beveled portion 32 in the stand12 as illustrated in FIG. 1 to limit the inward movement of the guard 18relative to the stand 12. Guard 18 is also provided with an elongatedopening 34 extending therethrough adjacent the upper end thereof adaptedto receive one end of a spring locking device 36 secured to the guard18. As illustrated in FIG. 7, guard 18 is also provided with an opening38 at its lower end.

For purposes of description, barrel 20 will be described as having anupper end 40 and lower end 42. As seen in FIG. 5, barrel 20 is providedwith a tapered portion 44 adjacent its lower end and an opening 46 whichcommunicates with an interior compartment 48. Barrel 20 has an annularflange 50 at its upper end and an annular groove 52 formed therein belowthe upper end. As seen in FIG. 4, barrel 20 is also provided with abeveled portion 54.

Plunger 22 comprises a plunger rod 55 having a tip base 56 threadablysecured to the lower end thereof. As seen in FIG. 8, tip base 56generally comprises a beveled annular portion 58 and an invertedU-shaped support 60. Opening 62 extends through the annular portion 58as also illustrated in FIG. 8. Tip 64 is secured to the tip base 56 asillustrated in FIG. 7. As seen in FIG. 8, the reduced diameter portion66 of tip 64 is adapted to be received by the opening 62 with theannular shoulder or flange 68 adapted to be positioned adjacent thelower end of the tip base 56. Both tip base 56 and tip 64 are preferablycomprised of an electrolitic tough pitch copper. Compartment 70 extendsdownwardly into tip 64 to provide a lower end portion 72 on the tip 64which preferably has a thickness of 0.005 inches.

Plunger rod 55 is provided with an elongated bore 74 which extendsdownwardly from the upper end thereof as illustrated in FIG. 6. Aplurality of spaced apart openings 78 are provided in the upper end ofthe plunger rod 55 while a plurality of spaced apart openings 80 areformed in the plunger rod at the lower end of the bore 74. Flange 82extends outwardly from plunger rod 55 to define a shoulder 84 thereaboveand a shoulder 86 therebelow. A plurality of spaced apart openings 88extend upwardly through the flange 82 as also illustrated in FIG. 6. Theouter end of flange 82 is provided with threads 90 which are adapted tothreadably receive the threads of the cap referred to generally by thereference numeral 92. Cap 92 is provided with an interior compartment 94having an upper end 96 and a shoulder 98 which is adapted to engage theflange 82 to limit the relative threadable rotation therebetween.Compartment 94 is filled with a filter material 100 such as cotton orthe like. Screw 102 threadably extends inwardly through the cap 92 andinto the flange 82 to prevent undesirable rotation therebetween. Aspring 104 embraces plunger rod 55 between shoulder 106 and collar 108which is secured to the plunger rod by any convenient means. As seen inFIG. 6, the lower end of collar 106 engages the shoulder 110. Spring 104normally urges plunger rod 55 upwardly relative to barrel 20 so that thebeveled annular portion 58 seats upon the lower end of barrel 20 toclose the opening 44.

During periods of non-use, the device 10 would normally be stored in thesupport 12 with the barrel 20 being received by the guard 18 and beingmaintained therein by the spring locking device 36 extending through theopening 34 in guard 18 and being received by the annular channel orgroove 52 formed in barrel 20. When it is desired to utilize the probeof this invention, the barrel 20 is removed from the guard 18 by causingthe spring locking device 36 to be moved outwardly from engagement withthe groove 52 so that the barrel 20 may be vertically moved with respectto the guard 18. The guard 18 is left in the stand 12 at this time asillustrated in FIG. 3. The barrel 20 is then inserted into the bottle 14through the opening 112 at the upper end thereof to cool the barrelslowly. Flange 50 engages the upper end of the bottle 14 to maintain thebarrel in position so that the tip 64 is maintained above the lower endof the bottle 14. The barrel 20 remains in the bottle 14 until thetreatment procedure commences.

When the physician desires to actually use the probe, the barrel 20 isremoved from the bottle 14 for approximately thirty seconds to permitthe barrel to warm slightly. The barrel 20 is then inserted in thebottle 14 with the warm barrel 20 causing the liquid nitrogen to boil.As the liquid nitrogen is boiling, the cap 92 is moved downwardlyrelative to the barrel 20 which causes the plunger rod 55 to movedownwardly relative to the barrel 20 whereby moving the valve means 114(comprised of tip base 56 and tip 64) so that the liquid nitrogen mayby-pass the valve means 114 and to move upwardly into the interiorcompartment 48 as illustrated in FIG. 5. The liquid nitrogen boilingwithin the bottle 14 creates pressure within the bottle 14 above theliquid 16 so that pressure is exerted on the liquid 16 to aid in forcingthe liquid upwardly into the interior compartment 48.

When the interior compartment 48 has been filled, (approximately oneounce) the physician releases his grasp on the cap 92 so that the spring104 urges the plunger rod 55 upwardly relative to the barrel 20 so thatvalve means 114 closes the opening 46 to maintain the liquid nitrogenwithin interior compartment 48. The barrel 20 is then immediately placedwithin the guard 18 and secured therein by means of the locking device36 as previously described. The probe is then maneuvered so that thelower end 72 of the tip 64 is placed into intimate engagement with theskin of the patient referred to generally by the reference numeral 116.The extreme thinness of the lower end portion 72 of tip 64 permits theliquid nitrogen to be closely positioned adjacent the skin so that theheat from the skin causes the liquid nitrogen to vaporize. Theevaporation of the liquid nitrogen causes gas to pass upwardly in thecompartment 48 and to enter the bore 74 through the openings 80. The gaspasses outwardly through the openings 78 into the filter material 100.Excess gas may pass from the filter compartment 94 outwardly to theatmosphere through the openings 88 as illustrated in FIG. 6.

It is extremely important to note that a longer treatment period isachieved through the use of the cryogenic probe of this invention sincethe liquid nitrogen is not exposed to the atmosphere during thetreatment period but still is maintained in close proximity to the skinso as to utilize the heat of the skin to vaporize the liquid nitrogen.In conventional treatment methods, the liquid nitrogen is exposed to theatmosphere and would completely vaporize in approximately one or twoseconds. With the instant invention, it is possible to maintain the tip64 in contact with the area to be treated on the skin for approximatelyone minute before the liquid nitrogen has vaporized. It should beunderstood that the tip 64 could have any configuration so as to treatdifferent areas but it is important that the lower end portion 72 beextremely thin.

After the skin has been treated in the desired manner, the assembly ordevice 10 may then be placed in the support 12 until it is desired toagain use the device. Thus it can be seen that the inventionaccomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

We claim:
 1. The method of treating an area of a patient's skin,comprising the steps of:providing a cryogenic probe having an interiorcompartment normally closed by a movable valve means which has a hollowlower end portion positioned below the probe, the interior of said valvemeans being in communication with said interior compartment, immersingthe lower end of said probe in a cryogenic liquid, opening said valvemeans to introduce the cryogenic liquid into said interior compartmentand to the interior of said valve means, closing said valve means,removing the probe from the cryogenic liquid container, and placing thelower end portion of said valve means into intimate contact with thearea to be treated so that the heat of the patient's skin is conductedthrough the lower end portion of said valve means to cause thevaporization of the cryogenic liquid within the probe.